Correlation between surrogates of bladder dosimetry and dose-volume histograms of the bladder wall defined on MRI in prostate cancer radiotherapy

Bladder surface dose modeling in prostate cancer radiotherapy: An analysis of motion-induced variations and the cumulative dose across the treatment

PURPOSE

To introduce a novel surface-based dose mapping method to improve quantitative bladder dosimetric assessment in prostate cancer (PC) radiotherapy.

METHODS

Based on the planning and daily pre and postfraction MRIs of 12 PC patients, bladder surface models (SMs) were generated on manually delineated contours and regionally aligned via surface-based registration. Subsequently, bladder surface dose models (SDMs) were created using face-wise dose sampling. To determine the bladder intrafractional and interfractional motion and dose variation, we performed a pose analysis between pre and postfraction bladder SMs, as well as surface mapping for fractional SMs. Discrepancies between the received dose, accumulated from daily SDMs, and the planned dose were then assessed on the corresponding SDMs. Complementary to the surface dose mapping, dose surface histogram (DSH)-based comparisons were also performed.

RESULTS

The intrafraction pose analysis revealed a significant (p < 0.05) bladder expansion, as well as an anterior/superior drift during the treatment. The intrafraction motion substantially altered dose to mid-bladder body, but not the bladder surface areas distal to or contiguous with the target. A similar pattern of dose variations was also detected by interfraction comparisons. With surface registration to the common SM, the cumulative bladder dose significantly differs from the planned dose. The discrepancy is evident in the mid-posterior range that corresponds to a mid- to high-dose region. The received DSH significantly differs from the planned DSH after permutation correction (p = 0.0122), while the overall surface-based comparison after multiple comparison correction is nonsignificant (p = 0.0800).

CONCLUSIONS

We developed a novel surface-based intra and interdose mapping framework applied to a unique daily MR dataset for image-guided radiotherapy. The framework identified significant intrafraction bladder positional changes, localized the intra and interfraction variations, and quantified planned versus received dose differences on the bladder surface. The result indicates the importance of adopting the motion-integrated bladder SDM for bladder dose management.

Spatial descriptions of radiotherapy dose: normal tissue complication models and statistical associations

For decades, dose-volume information for segmented anatomy has provided the essential data for correlating radiotherapy dosimetry with treatment-induced complications. Dose-volume information has formed the basis for modelling those associations via normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) models and for driving treatment planning. Limitations to this approach have been identified. Many studies have emerged demonstrating that the incorporation of information describing the spatial nature of the dose distribution, and potentially its correlation with anatomy, can provide more robust associations with toxicity and seed more general NTCP models. Such approaches are culminating in the application of computationally intensive processes such as machine learning and the application of neural networks. The opportunities these approaches have for individualising treatment, predicting toxicity and expanding the solution space for radiation therapy are substantial and have clearly widespread and disruptive potential. Impediments to reaching that potential include issues associated with data collection, model generalisation and validation. This review examines the role of spatial models of complication and summarises relevant published studies. Sources of data for these studies, appropriate statistical methodology frameworks for processing spatial dose information and extracting relevant features are described. Spatial complication modelling is consolidated as a pathway to guiding future developments towards effective, complication-free radiotherapy treatment.

Normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) models of acute urinary toxicity (AUT) following carbon ion radiotherapy (CIRT) for prostate cancer

PURPOSE

To estimate the Lyman Kutcher Burman (LKB) and multivariate NTCP models predicting the AUT of prostate cancer treated with CIRT.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A cohort of 154 prostate adenocarcinoma patients were retrospectively analyzed. The AUT levels were graded according to CTCAE 4.03. Based on dosimetric parameters and/or clinical factors, a set of variables with best-fit values determined in the two models was validated by the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) and used to correlate the predicted and observed NTCP rates for both levels and related endpoints.

RESULT

59 (38.3%) patients experienced AUT. For LKB model, the equivalent uniform doses (EUDs) were calculated to be 62.0 GyE (following V_61.5 > 1.7%) and 61.2 GyE (following maximum dose > 63.0 GyE) with predicted NTCP rates of 37.0% (AUC: 0.71) and 15.6% (AUC: 0.65) for AUT G1&2 and G2 of bladder. While for the multivariate model, the predicted NTCP rates was 37.1% (AUC: 0.70) and 20.2% (AUC: 0.64) for AUT G1&2 and G2, associated with V₆₁ and V₆₅, respectively. Nocturia was associated with bladder volume and maximum dose for G1&2, with patient's age and maximum bladder dose for G2. Other predictable endpoints were associated with V_≥61. The predicted NTCPs agree with the observed complication rates for bladder and its wall.

CONCLUSIONS

The LKB model successfully predicted the NTCP rates of both AUT levels and urgency urination. The multivariate model predicted well on both levels and nocturia. Decreasing high bladder dose volume may reduce the incidence of AUT.

Prostate or bone? Comparing the efficacy of image guidance surrogates for pelvis and prostate radiotherapy using accumulated delivered dose

INTRODUCTION

This study assessed the impact of dosimetry to both the target and normal tissue when either bony anatomy (BA) or prostate (PRO) was used as surrogates for image guidance for pelvis and prostate radiotherapy using a dose accumulation process.

METHODS

Thirty patients who were prescribed 50-54Gy to the pelvic lymph nodes (PLN) and 78Gy to the prostate/seminal vesicles were included. Daily acquired CBCTs were rigidly registered to the CT using BA and PRO to simulate two different treatment positions. The accumulated delivered dose (D_Acc) of PLN, prostate, bladder and rectum for each surrogate were compared with the planned dose. Deviation from the planned dose (ΔD_Acc-Plan) of >5% was considered clinically significant.

RESULTS

Prostate was displaced from bony anatomy by > 5 mm in 96/755 fractions (12.7%). Deviation between the mean D_Acc and the planned dose for PLN and prostate was <2% when either BA or PRO was used. No significant deviation from planned dose was observed for bladder (p > 0.2). In contrary, D_Acc for rectum D₅₀ was significantly greater than the planned dose when BA was used (Mean ΔD_Acc-Plan = 6%). When examining individual patient, deviation from the planned dose for rectum D₅₀ was clinically significant for 18 patients for BA (Range: 5-21%) and only 8 patients for PRO (Range: 5-8%).

CONCLUSIONS

The use of either BA or PRO for image guidance could deliver dose to PLN and prostate with minimal deviation from the plan using existing PTV margins. However, deviation for rectum was greater when BA was used.

Multivariate normal tissue complication probability models for rectal and bladder morbidity in prostate cancer patients treated with proton therapy

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) models applied for model-based patient selection to proton therapy (PT) have usually been derived using dose/volume histogram (DVH) parameters from photon-based radiotherapy. This study aimed to derive PT-specific multivariate NTCP models that also accounted for the spatial dose distribution (rectum only) as well as non-dose/volume related factors.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The study included rectum and bladder DVHs, 2D rectal dose maps and relevant patient/treatment characteristics from 1151 prostate cancer cases treated with PT. Prospectively scored Grade 2 late rectal bleeding (CTCAE v3.0, also procedural interventions separately) (n = 156 (15%)) and Grade 3+ GU morbidity (n = 51 (4%)) were entered into a multivariate logistic regression analysis. Model evaluation included assessment of the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC).

RESULTS

Anticoagulant use was a dominant predictor, chosen in four of the six rectum models and in the bladder model. Age was a dominant predictor in all procedural only rectum models while prostate volume, bladder D5% and V75Gy were predictors in the bladder model. The selection frequency of the dose/volume predictors varied widely, where the percentage of the anterior rectum surface receiving >=75 Gy was the most robust. AUC values ranged from 0.58 to 0.70 across all models, with no clear difference between the DVH- and spatial-based models for the rectum.

CONCLUSION

Anticoagulant use and age were the most prominent predictors in the NTCP models. V75Gy of the rectal wall and the bladder was a predictor in the DVH-based models of the rectum and bladder respectively.

Dosimetric comparison of artificial walls of bladder and rectum with real walls in common prostate IMRT techniques: Patient and Monte Carlo study

BACKGROUND

Rectum and bladder are hallow structures and considered as critical organs in prostate cancer intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT). Therefore, dose received by these organ walls must be considered for prediction of radiobiological effects. Contouring the real organ walls is quite difficult and time consuming in CT/MRI images, so the easy contouring artificial walls with uniform thickness could be appropriated alternatives.

OBJECTIVE

To compare reconstructed artificial walls with real walls of bladder and rectum in common prostate IMRT techniques based on dose volume-histograms (DVHs) derived from artificial and real walls.

METHODS

Artificial walls were reconstructed with 2-10 mm and 2-8 mm thicknesses for bladder and rectum, respectively. Four common IMRT techniques were applied to each patient. Spearman correlation was used to find the relation between the DVHs of true walls with artificial walls and whole organs. Monte Carlo (MC) simulations of the IMRT techniques and dosimetric comparison were also performed on a standard patient data.

RESULTS

The 2 mm thickness artificial walls showed the minimum differences with the true bladder and rectum walls based on absolute evaluations (the maximum difference < 10cc and standard deviation < 15cc). However, relative evaluations showed that all the artificial walls had high correlations with real walls for selecting dose volume parameters. There was also good agreement between the treatment planning system and MC simulations results.

CONCLUSION

The DVH of whole organs was not a good surrogate of the true wall. The 2 mm artificial walls can be regarded as good alternatives for both of rectum and bladder. However, in relative dose evaluations all studied artificial walls were appropriate.

Interfraction variation and dosimetric changes during image-guided radiation therapy in prostate cancer patients

Purpose

The aim of this study was to identify volume changes and dose variations of rectum and bladder during radiation therapy in prostate cancer (PC) patients.

Materials and Methods

We analyzed 20 patients with PC treated with helical tomotherapy. Daily image guidance was performed. We re-contoured the entire bladder and rectum including its contents as well as the organ walls on megavoltage computed tomography once a week. Dose variations were analyzed by means of Dmedian, Dmean, Dmax, V₁₀ to V₇₅, as well as the organs at risk (OAR) volume. Further, we investigated the correlation between volume changes and changes in Dmean of OAR.

Results

During treatment, the rectal volume ranged from 62% to 223% of its initial volume, the bladder volume from 22% to 375%. The average Dmean ranged from 87% to 118% for the rectum and 58% to 160% for the bladder. The Pearson correlation coefficients between volume changes and corresponding changes in Dmean were -0.82 for the bladder and 0.52 for the rectum. The comparison of the dose wall histogram (DWH) and the dose volume histogram (DVH) showed that the DVH underestimates the percentage of the rectal and bladder volume exposed to the high dose region.

Conclusion

Relevant variations in the volume of OAR and corresponding dose variations can be observed. For the bladder, an increase in the volume generally leads to lower doses; for the rectum, the correlation is weaker. Having demonstrated remarkable differences in the dose distribution of the DWH and the DVH, the use of DWHs should be considered.

Voxel-Based Analysis for Identification of Urethrovesical Subregions Predicting Urinary Toxicity After Prostate Cancer Radiation Therapy

PURPOSE

To apply a voxel-based analysis to identify urethrovesical symptom-related subregions (SRSs) associated with acute and late urinary toxicity in prostate cancer radiation therapy.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

Two hundred seventy-two patients with prostate cancer treated with intensity-modulated radiation therapy/image-guided radiation therapy were analyzed prospectively. Each patient's computed tomography imaging was spatially normalized to a common coordinate system via nonrigid registration. The obtained deformation fields were used to map the dose of each patient to the common coordinate system. A voxel-based statistical analysis was applied to generate 3-dimensional dose-volume maps for different urinary symptoms, allowing the identification of corresponding SRSs with statistically significant dose differences between patients with or without toxicity. Each SRS was propagated back to each individual's native space, and dose-volume histograms (DVHs) for the SRSs and the whole bladder were computed. Logistic and Cox regression were used to estimate the SRS's prediction capability compared with the whole bladder.

RESULTS

A local dose-effect relationship was found in the bladder and the urethra. SRSs were identified for 5 symptoms: acute incontinence in the urethra, acute retention in the bladder trigone, late retention and dysuria in the posterior part of the bladder, and late hematuria in the superior part of the bladder, with significant dose differences between patients with and without toxicity, ranging from 1.2 to 9.3 Gy. The doses to the SRSs were significantly predictive of toxicity, with maximum areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.73 for acute incontinence, 0.62 for acute retention, 0.70 for late retention, 0.81 for late dysuria, and 0.67 for late hematuria. The bladder DVH was predictive only for late retention, dysuria, and hematuria (area under the curve, 0.65-0.72).

CONCLUSIONS

The dose delivered to the urethra and the posterior and superior parts of the bladder was predictive of acute incontinence and retention and of late retention, dysuria, and hematuria. The dose to the whole bladder was moderately predictive.

A case-control study using motion-inclusive spatial dose-volume metrics to account for genito-urinary toxicity following high-precision radiotherapy for prostate cancer

Background and purpose

Material and methods

Results

Conclusions

Associations between volume changes and spatial dose metrics for the urinary bladder during local versus pelvic irradiation for prostate cancer

BACKGROUND

Inter-fractional variation in urinary bladder volumes during the course of radiotherapy (RT) for prostate cancer causes deviations between planned and delivered doses. This study compared planned versus daily cone-beam CT (CBCT)-based spatial bladder dose distributions, for prostate cancer patients receiving local prostate treatment (local treatment) versus prostate including pelvic lymph node irradiation (pelvic treatment).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Twenty-seven patients (N = 15 local treatment; N = 12 pelvic treatment) were treated using daily image-guided RT (1.8 Gy@43-45 fx), adhering to a full bladder/empty rectum protocol. For each patient, 9-10 CBCTs were registered to the planning CT, using the clinically applied translations. The urinary bladder was manually segmented on each CBCT, 3 mm inner shells were generated, and semi and quadrant sectors were created using axial/coronal cuts. Planned and delivered DVH metrics were compared across patients and between the two groups of treatment (t-test, p < .05; Holm-Bonferroni correction). Associations between bladder volume variations and the dose-volume histograms (DVH) of the bladder and its sectors were evaluated (Spearman's rank correlation coefficient, r_s).

RESULTS

Bladder volumes varied considerably during RT (coefficient of variation: 16-58%). The population-averaged planned and delivered DVH metrics were not significantly different at any dose level. Larger treatment bladder volumes resulted in increased absolute volume of the posterior/inferior bladder sector receiving intermediate-high doses, in both groups. The superior bladder sector received less dose with larger bladder volumes for local treatments (r_s ± SD: -0.47 ± 0.32), but larger doses for pelvic treatments (r_s ± SD: 0.74 ± 0.24).

CONCLUSIONS

Substantial bladder volume changes during the treatment course occurred even though patients were treated under a full bladder/daily image-guided protocol. Larger bladder volumes resulted in less bladder wall spared at the posterior-inferior sector, regardless the treatment received. Contrary, larger bladder volumes meant larger delivered doses to the superior bladder sector for pelvic RT but smaller doses for local treatments.

Planned versus 'delivered' bladder dose reconstructed using solid and hollow organ models during prostate cancer IMRT

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

All studies to date have evaluated the dosimetric effect of bladder deformation using an organ model that includes the dose to the urine. This research reconstructed bladder dose using both hollow and solid organ models, to determine if dose/volume differences exist.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

35 prostate IMRT patients were selected, who had received 78Gy in 39 fractions and full bladder instructions. Biomechanical modelling and finite element analysis were used to reconstruct bladder dose (solid and hollow organ model) using every third CBCT throughout the treatment course.

RESULTS

Reconstructed dose (ReconDose) was 11.3Gy greater than planned dose (planDose) with a hollow bladder model (p<0.001) and 12.3Gy greater with a solid bladder model (p<0.0001). Median reconstructed volumes within the 30Gy, 65Gy and 78Gy isodoses were 3-4 times larger with the solid organ model (p<0.0001). The difference between planning bladder volume and median treatment volume was associated with the difference between the planDose and reconDose below 78Gy (R(2)>0.61).

CONCLUSIONS

Substantial differences exist between planned and reconstructed bladder dose, associated with the differences in bladder filling between planning and treatment. Dose reconstructed using a solid bladder model over-reports the volume of bladder within key isodose levels and overestimates the differences between planned and reconstructed dose. Dose reconstruction with a hollow organ model is recommended if the goal is to associate that dose with toxicity.

Bladder dose-surface maps and urinary toxicity: Robustness with respect to motion in assessing local dose effects

The purpose of this study was to quantify the impact of inter-fraction modifications of bladder during RT of prostate cancer on bladder dose surface maps (DSM). Eighteen patients treated with daily image-guided Tomotherapy and moderate hypofractionation (70-72.8Gy at 2.5-2.6Gy/fr in 28 fractions and full bladder) were considered. Bladder contours were delineated on co-registered daily Megavoltage CT (MVCT) by a single observer and copied on the planning CT to generate dose-volume/surface histograms (DVH/DSH) and bladder DSMs. Discrepancies between planned and daily absorbed doses were analyzed through the average of individual systematic errors, the population systematic errors and the population random errors for the DVH/DSHs and DSMs. In total, 477 DVH/DSH and 472 DSM were available. DSH and DVH showed small population systematic errors of absolute surfaces (<3.4cm(2)) and volumes (<8.4cm(3)) at the highest doses. The dose to the posterior bladder base assessed on DSMs showed a mean systematic error below 1Gy, with population systematic and random errors within 4 and 3Gy, respectively. The region surrounding this area shows higher mean systematic errors (1-3Gy), population systematic (8-11Gy) and random (5-7Gy) errors. In conclusion, DVH/DSH and DSMs are quite stable with respect to inter-fraction variations in the high-dose region, within about 2cm from bladder base. Larger systematic variations occur in the anterior portion and cranially 2.5-3.5cm from the base. Results suggest that dose predictors related to the high dose area (including the trigone dose) are likely to be sufficiently reliable with respect to the expected variations due to variable bladder filling.

Delineating the inner bladder surface using uniform contractions from the outer surface under variable bladder filling conditions

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the methods to delineate the inner bladder (IB) surface using a uniform contraction from the outer bladder (OB) surface, assuming the bladder wall (BW) is either of constant thickness, constant volume or variable volume.

METHODS

14 prostate intensity-modulated radiotherapy patients with 2 planning CTs were identified. For both CTs, OB was delineated using model-based segmentation. IB was delineated manually. Then, using uniform contractions from OB, the position of IB was approximated using a: 2.5-mm contraction, patient-specific contraction, patient-specific constant wall volume method and variable wall volume method. The structures created using those strategies were compared against the manual IB contours using geometric and dosimetric indices.

RESULTS

In the presence of variable bladder filling, use of a generic or patient-specific constant contraction resulted in a significant overestimation of IB volume (+12 and +13 cm(3), respectively; p < 0.001) that was inversely correlated with the difference in urine volume between the scans (R(2) > 0.86). Mean differences across 95% of IB surfaces were ≤2 mm for methods using either constant or variable wall volume. Mean dose-volume histogram (DVH) differences were <1 cm(3) across the whole BW DVH when using the method that assumed a variable wall volume.

CONCLUSION

The variable volume BW model provided the best approximation of the IB surface position under varying filling conditions, based on geometric and dosimetric indices.

ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE

Use of the equation derived in this research provides a quick and accurate method to delineate the hollow BW on serial imaging for the purposes of dose reconstruction.

Multi-variable models predicting specific patient-reported acute urinary symptoms after radiotherapy for prostate cancer: Results of a cohort study

PURPOSE

A prospective trial started in 2010, aiming at developing models for urinary toxicity and erectile dysfunction after radiotherapy for prostate cancer. This analysis is finalised at highlighting correlations between clinical/dosimetric factors and acute urinary specific symptoms, as measured by single questions of the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS).

MATERIALS/METHODS

IPSS was prospectively collected before and at the end of radiotherapy; absolute weekly bladder dose-surface histograms (DSHw) were chosen as dosimetric descriptors. Relevant clinical factors were prospectively gathered. Backward feature selection was used to identify variables to be included in logistic models for moderate-severe (scores⩾4) urinary symptoms.

RESULTS

Complete data of 262 patients (120 conventional fractionation, 142 hypofractionation) were available. Smoking was a strong predictor for feeling of incomplete emptying, frequency, intermittency, urgency and straining; neoadjuvant hormonal therapy and use of antihypertensive drugs were risk factors for intermittency and weak stream, respectively. The baseline score was a major predictor for all symptoms with the exception of intermittency. DSHw were correlated to increased risk of frequency, intermittency, urgency and nocturia. Most models showed moderate-high discrimination (AUC≈0.60-0.79).

CONCLUSIONS

Smoking and other clinical and dosimetric factors predict for specific moderate-severe acute urinary symptoms; baseline condition heavily modulated the risk in most endpoints.